232 
THE KILUIA-NJAEO EXPEDITION. 
At a greater altitude than 8000 feet these tree-ferns 
were rarely met with; indeed, they were mostly con¬ 
fined to a zone round the mountain between 7000 feet 
and 8000 feet above sea-level. 
Our path was very wet with the moisture that 
dripped from the forest, and often obstructed with 
huge tree-trunks that lay across it. It was one of a 
series of tracks which converge from the different 
little kingdoms on the mountain up to a height of 
about 9000 feet odd, where they join a path running 
nearly due east and west from Sira to Useri. As the 
inhabitants of the Kilima-njaro States are nearly 
always at war with one another, and, consequently, 
have not free transit through the hostile territory of 
their neighbours, they all resort, by means of the 
upward road, to the neutral ground above, and at 
varying heights above the inhabited district pursue 
their journey round the mountain. They do not al¬ 
ways do so peacefully, however, as it is the disagreeable 
custom of the mountaineers to post themselves occa¬ 
sionally in ambush at the cross-roads and leap out on 
any passing travellers too weak to resist them, in 
which case the men are killed and the women are 
carried off in triumph as slaves. As we were few in 
number, though presumably stout of heart, our guides 
were very nervous during this ascent, and often 
paused to listen anxiously to the murmurs of the 
forest, fearing to detect the voices of their foes. Our 
conversation was held in a low tone, and my servant, 
Yirapan, who incautiously gave way to a peal of 
laughter when amused by some incident on the route, 
was angrily checked by Kilaki, Mandara’s captain, 
and told that he was risking the lives of the party. 
However, throughout this day’s journey we heard 
